The 144th Bradford International Orchestral Concert Season is packed with some of the world’s top orchestras, conductors and soloists.

The new season, at St George’s Hall, Bradford, features eight classical concerts and highlights include return visits from Czech National Symphony Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra and Moscow State Symphony Orchestra.

The first film music night presents The Essential John Williams, featuring a performance by the five-time Oscar-winner who has composed some of the most famous film scores in Hollywood history including themes from the Harry Potter movies, ET and Star Wars.

The Orchestra of Opera North returns with Dutch conductor Jac Van Steen offering a romantic programme including Mozart’s sparkling Overture to The Marriage of Figaro.

St George’s Hall’s resident orchestra, the Hallé, opens the 2009/10 season with a varied programme of symphonic masterpieces, including Shostako-vich’s Fifth Symphony. Also returning is the English Chamber Orchestra with distinguished leader Stephanie Gonley, presenting a programme of masterpieces by Bach and Mozart and a string sonata by Rossini.

The season, which closes with concerts by the distinguished Moscow State Symphony Orchestra, also includes free pre-concert talks and music by students from local schools. Following each concert with the Hallé and the foreign orchestras, there are post-concert encores with members of the orchestras.

Running alongside the orchestral season is the Bradford Chamber Concert Season at Bradford Cathedral. This season opens with Russian pianist Dmitri Alexeev.

* For tickets for all concerts ring (01274) 432000.